Bridge railing



March 17, 193]. p E, HUNTER 1,796,712

BRIDGE RAILING Filed Oct. 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 n F295. 32 v F196.

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mn/L74 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 f UNITED STATES IPATENT OFFICE PERCY E. nun'rnnor rirrsnuneii, rnnNsYLvanin, nssienon or ONE-HALF To i FRANK J. LANAHAN, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA :BRIDGE RAILING- `Application filed October 24.,` 1929. Serial No. 402,073.

April 30, 1928, being directed more particularly tothe post structures and the form` of the rails that support the panels f One object of my invention is to provide. a guardrailing of such'form that the various parts thereof may'be'more conveniently and cheaply made than those of some types heretofore` employed, and `which parts may be assembled `in suchmanner as to form a unitary structure of very great strength Another object of my invention is to provide a railing structure whose parts are so formed and positioned that it is not so liableV to be broken by impacts `o f vehicles, and which presents but little obstruction to vehicles that are traveling in a direction generally parallell to the railing.

` Still another-object of my invention is to i simplify andimprove generally the construction and effectiveness of railing structures. `2li' One form which my invention may take is shown 1n the accompanying drawing whereiny Figure 1 1s a sideelevationalview of a portion of therailing structure;` Figs. 2, 3 andlarevviews taken on the lines IIe-IL III--IIIand lvl-11V respectively of Fig. 1; .Figfis aview`,'on anfenlarged scale, of one lo "1t-lie" main or lendrposts of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is ""aviewytalenon thelineVI-VI of. Fig. 5;

Fig, 7 is aviewt'aken 'on theline VII-VII o'f Fig'; Figi` 8 isa view taken on the line VlI-fVIII 'oi'11 Figufg Fig. 9 is an elevational1 view "posit of Fig., 'thetop `rail,"'and Figfll shows still another 4oV of the cap or head piece of the 5 gFig. 10 showsa modification of modification thereonand Fig. 12 shows a modification of the lower end of themain posi-, 1"" i i The" structure, generally, comprises` main or end" posts 12,:inte`rinediate posts 13, upper Arails 14,intermediate rails 15, bottoni rails "16 'and panelsor :fillingmembers 17 secured tothesaid rails as set forth in my said applif cations AThe" ends of the rails vare supported in the posts 12 and their intermediate portions v are .supported zby theipostsl. i

As shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, the

rin Fig. `8 and which areprovided with ears 20. Bolts 21 extend through the sides of the channel sections and `through the ears 20, for the purpose of detachably `securing the cover platesin posit-ion. `It will be understood that the cover" plates 19 could be formed integrall with one another, it desired. The makingiof the cover plates 19 detachable, permits of convenient access to the interior of the post sections, for the purpose of connectingthem together and securing `the rails thereto as hereinafter described. f i

The bottom post section 12b is shownas provided with a recess for receiving an anchoring rod 22 thatimaybe imbedded in the concrete of the roadway and with a" web 18 which may be bolted to the fabricated framework of the roadway to firmly anchor the `posts in place. The bottom post sections are valso provided.. with'a webf 23 for supporting webs or flanges "23by bolts or pins 24.

The abutting end portions of the post sections 12a and 12b are providedwith webs or flanges 25 through which bolts 26 extend to fasten said sections rigidly together. Bolts or pins 27 also `extend through these webs, and through the interposed horizontal flange of the rail 15 which is of T shape in cross section, the said fiange extending through openings in the sides of the posts as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8.

The upper post section 12a has a cap`or head piece 28 which is provided with depending flanges 29 that assist in centering the same upon the post. The sides of the cap piece 28 and of the post section `12a have `openings formed therein for the `reception of the ends of the upper rails 14. The inner ends of these rails are bolted t0 an angle plate or web 31 that is formed integrally lwith the postand serves as a tie member for uniting the rails. The cap 28 is connected to the post by a bolt 32 that extends through the cap and one flange of the angle plate.

It will be seen that therails and thel posts are very rigidly secured together and possess great strength, notwithstanding the fact that they are of smaller dimension and lighter weight than is commonly found in bridge railing structures.

The intermediate posts 13 are particularly useful where there is considerable distance between the posts 12. These posts are supported upon the paving and are made in up- `per Vand lower sections, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. The sections are held in as.- sembled relation'by a screw or bolt 34 which extends through a top plate 35 and is threaded into a web formed in the upper end of the lower post section.

This bolt also passes through the horizontal flange of the T rail 15. The horizontal flange of the lower rail 16 is cut out for the passage .0f the lower end of the post. 'The interv mediate rail 15 is shown as provided with a bulb-like extension 33 to stilfen the same, this extension being shown as bent down so that it will not retain moisture.

The inner ends ofthe panel members 17 are secured to the vertical flanges of the intermediate rail 15 and their outermost ends to the vertical flanges of the rails 14 and 16.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the perforations in the sides of the posts 12 are located toward Vthe front sides thereof so that theA panels and the rails will occupy a vertical plane close to the front plane of the'posts, and so that the posts will not project outwardly from the panels suciently far to present wide obstructive surfaces to vehicles coming 1n contact with the rails 15, for instance.

For example, if a rail 15 be engaged by the hub or bumper bar of a vehicle, the endrposts will not Vpresent so great an obstruction to vsaid hubor bumper,'the danger of serious damage Ato the vehicle and the railing structure being thereby reduced.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the shape of the toprail 14. It will be seen that this top rail is of generally channel form,l but that its front flange is of such length as will permit of its convenient attachment to the angle bars 31,A and the convenient fastening of the upper ends of the panels 17 thereto. This feature also results in the positioning of the panels 17 close to the front Aplane of the rail structure. Furthermore, an upperv rail of considerable diameter, as is customary, can be employed, without having it overhang at the front side of the structure in an unsightly manner.

Furthermore, the upper rail7 as in the case of the other rails, can be rolled or pressed instead of cast, and the interior thereof can be painted to protect the same against corrosion since its underside is open throughout substantially its entire length. v

Figs. 10 and 1,1 show still other forms of upper rail structures which may be employed, the rails in these two views being provided with flanged portions 140 and 14d respectively by means of which connections may be made within the post and to the panels.

The rails 14, 140 and 14d all have, in effect, ribs or corrugations Vformed at a, b and c (Figs. 4, 10 and 1,1) `which serve to stiften the rails and permit them to be made of lighter metal.

The making of the. end posts in two parts and of channel form permits of their being cast in smaller molds, without the use of cores,

and also facilitates the handling and 'ship-- ping thereof, since such posts are ordinarily quite heavy. v Y

In Fig. 12,1 showV a modified bottom post section having an anchoring rod 22@ that may be imbedded in the concrete of the roadway.

VA web 18a is provided at the lower edge of the post and is bolted to an angle plate 36 of the fabricated framework of the roadway to firmly anchor the post in place. Shims 37 may be inserted between the web 18a and the angle plate 36 to cause the post totilt on'the anchoring rod 22a. In this manner the posts of the railing structure may be adjusted to assume the desired vertical position.

l claim as my invention z-f Y 1. Railing structure comprising posts, an upper rail having its ends connected to said posts, the rail being of channel form and having the opening between the edges thereof restricted, the one edge having a depending` flange portion, and panels or secured to said flange.

2. A post and railing structure Comprising rails, a hollowV post having openings in its filling members sides for the Yreception of the ends ofthe:-

rails, means located entirely within the post for securing said rail ends to the post, and means at another side Vof the post permitting access to the said securing mea-ns,

3. A post and railing structure comprising rails, a hollow post composed of upper and lower sections having internal flanges that are connected together to form a unitary structure, and said sections havingopenings ends.

4. A post and railing structure comprising rails, a hollowv post composed of upper and lower sections having internal flanges that are in their sides for the reception of the rail connected together to for-m va unitary struc# ture, Vand said sections having openings in their sides lfor the reception of the rail ends, and means for connecting the rail ends to said flanges.

5. Railing structure comprising rails, a hollow post composed of upper and lower sections having internal flanges that are Connected together to form a unitary structure, the post having openings adjacent to said 5 flanges for the reception of the rail ends, and bolt-like fastening members extending through said flanges for securing the post sections together, and connecting the rails to the post.

6. Railing structure comprising posts, a rail supported by said posts, the said rail being of channel form with its flanges extending downwardly and spaced apart, the forward flange having an extended portion to give it increased width relative to the width of the rear flange, and panel members secured to said extended portion.

7. Railing structure comprising posts, a rail supported by said posts, the said rail being of channel form with its flanges extending downwardly and spaced apart, the forward flange having a downwardly-extended portion to give it increased width relative to the width of the rear flange, and panel members secured to said extended portion, the panels being thin relative to the width of the space between the said flanges.

v8. Railing structure comprising posts, a rail supported by said posts, the rail being of channel form, with its flanges extending vertically, and panels secured to the forward flange, in forwardly spaced relation to the rear flange, the panels being thin relative to the width of the space between the said flanges.

In testimony whereof I, the said PERGY E. HUNTER, have hereunto set my hand.

PERCY E. HUNTER. 

